Frequency stabilized relay for frequency-modulated oscillations



March 21, 1950 E. 1 c. WHITE 2,501,368

FREQUENCY STABILIZED RELAY FOR FREQUENCY-MODULATED oscILLATIoNs Filed March s, 1945 2 sheets-sheet 1 ..//Mrf/P IN VEN TOR. Uff/Mm? March 21, 1950- 2,501,368

E. cwi-MTE FREQUENCY STABILIZED RELAY FOR FREQUENCY-MODULATED OSCILLATIONS Filed March 5, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENToR. CP/f AMPM/a7 draw/lfm? MQW Patented Mar. 21, 1950 FREQUENCY STABILIZED RELAY FOR FRf- QUENCY-MODULATED OSCILLATIONS Eric Lawrence Casling White, Iver, England, assignor to Electric & Musical Industries Limited, Hayes, Middlesex, England, a companyof Great Britain Application March 3, 1945, Serial No. 580,821 In Great Britain March 25, 1944 (Cl. Z50-15) 4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to apparatus for transmitting or receiving frequency-modulated oscillations.

It is well known that a transmitter for transmitting frequency-modulated oscillations is somewhat unstable in its operation and is usually provided with some form of automatic control for maintaining the frequency of the carrier oscilla-v tions substantially constant. Where the signals which are employed to modulate the carrier oscillations are of alternating form, it is readily possible to effect an automatic-frequency control by observing the mean frequency of the carrier oscillations and should this mean frequency depart from its desired value to apply a control to the transmitter to restore the frequency to its proper value. However, in television signals, no definite mean frequency is available since the frequency of the signals depends, as is well known, on the average brightness of the individual images being transmitted, it being usually the practice to reinsert prior to transmission any D. C. components which may have been lost in the signal circuits. With television signals therefore, it is not possible to apply the known forms of automatic-frequency control owing to the absence of a mean frequency which can be stabilised by some automatic control. Similar diiculties arise when signals of the above form are received and Whilst, in general, with apparatus for receiving frequency-modulated signals it is possible to effect automatic-frequency control to correct either for drift in the frequency of the received oscillations or to correct for a varying frequency of the local oscillator of the receiver if the latter is of the superheterodyne type by the use of known forms of discriminating circuits which observe the mean frequency of the signals, such expedients are not possible in cases where the receiver is intended to receive signals which have no definite mean frequency.

It is the object therefore of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus for controlling the frequency of frequency-modulated oscillations Without reference to the mean frequency of the oscillations.

In television signals it is usually the practice to transmit with the picture signals, signals having a datum value. value may eitherbe the synchronising signals These signals of datum 2 which have a Xed amplitude with respect to black in the transmitted signals or, alternatively, such signals may comprise black signals occurring just prior to or just after the occur-f ciated that the frequency of the modulated sig.

nals of said datum value for stable operation should be constant assuming that anylost D. C.

components have been reinserted prior to effecting frequency modulation. In the present invention these signals of datum value are employed for stabilising the frequency of the fre-l quency-modulated oscillations.

According to the invention apparatus for controlling the frequency of frequency-modulated oscillations which include signals of datum value which should have a constant frequencyis proe vided comprising a frequency discriminator circuit arranged to be switched into operation when the signals of datum value occur and to respond to said signals to afford an output, and means for applying said output toadjust the frequency of said oscillations to render the frequency of said signals morev nearly `constant than would otherwise be the case. Means may be provided for smoothing the output of the discriminator circuit to cause said output to remain effective for adjusting said frequency substantially through-y out the interval between successive signals of datum` value.

In transmitting apparatus for transmitting,

output of the discriminator circuit may be applied to control they frequency ofthe oscillator which affords the frequency-modulated oscillations and in frequency-changing apparatus which serves to derive oscillations of different frequency from the original frequency-modulated.

oscillations, the discriminator output may be applied to control the frequency of a local oscillator which affords oscillations for combiningV with the frequency-modulated oscillations to af-HV now be more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating schematically an arrangement for transmitting irequency-modulated television signals and including apparatus according to the invention for stabilising the frequency of the carrier oscillations,

Figure 2 indicates diagrammatically in more detail a preferred form. of a frequency-modulated oscillator and a preferred formof discriminator employed in Figure l, and

Figure 3 is a block diagram of a receiver for. frequency-modulated television, signals combined with a transmitter for re-transmitting the.- received signals such as may be employed in link transmission in which the reveiller and transmitteiboth include frequency. stabilising apparatus according to the invention.v

Referring rst to Figure 1 of the drawings, the reference numeral 3 indicates waveform of television signals just prior to thel application of signals to the frequency-modulated oscillator of the transmitter. The picture signals are interspersed with synchron-ising signals indicated ao -4 which. have a, constant amplitude with respect'- toA black ini the. transmitted. signals assuming... that any-D. C; componentswhich may have.

beenlostin the. signal circuits have been reinserted. Thelsynchronising. signals, after having frequencyfmodulated. they carrier. oscillations shouldv thereforeJ have a constant frequency, but it4 the frequency. ot the .carrier oscillationsshould. drift this frequency. of thesynchronising signals will no longer, beconstant.l In-the arrangement shown inFigjure 1V thefrequency of the synchro.- nising, signals` is., observed-1 and. if the frequency of` the:A synhronisingA signals departs from the proper valira control: potential. is. generated.

which is fed to the carrier frequency generator so as.: a restera the fregiarsi/.f 0f the; generator. .te its. Drapes value. '121.142 picture. Signals and Syn.- Chroaisn signals Showny initiatie'. 1f. are fed. on..

the. one. hand through a. blocking condenser 5A to the,frequency-modulated oscillator 6, andonthe other hand @generating means in the form of. alimiterandphase-reversen l. The output from the frequency-modulated oscillator @Listed on the onehand, to a. power amplifier 8, the output of. which` iswfed to a. transmitting aerial 9 and on the othery hand to ,a discrimi'natory circuit indicat-` edQatQI il, Theliniiter and vphasefreversVer 'i' serves,

resistancey I2a tothe oscillator B so as to adjust the frequency o f the generated oscillations to the correct value. The control potential is suitablysmoothed so as tov remain effective at leastuntil thenext signal ofthe same datum value occurs.

' Since the` picture and` synchronising signals are fed through the condenser'to-the'oscillator 6=.it is possible.thatv someofzthe D.` C. components ofthe-.s-ignals mayfbelostbyivirtua of` the condenser 5, in which case it will be necessary to reinsert the lost D. C. components prior to frequency-modulating the oscillations and in such case the control potential obtained from the discriminator I8 may be used as a correcting potential for addition to the D. C. potential required for reinserting the lost D. C. components.

Figure 2 of the drawings illustrates one form of frequency-modulated oscillator which can be employed in the circuit shown in Figure 1, this frequency-modulated oscillator being similar to that disclosed in co-pending application Serial No, 533,854, now U. S. Patent No. 2,464,549, grantedk March 15, 1949. The oscillator is of the velocity-modulated type and comprises, as shown,

a discharge device having an evacuated envelope i3 and a pair of, hollow resonators It and I5 through which an electron beam emanating from a cathode. I6.4 is. caused to pass. The cathode I6 is associated with a cathode shield I'I and after the electronsA have passed through the resonators i4 and I5 the beam is collected by an electrode I8. The two resonators i4 and I5 are coupled together so as to function as a regenerative oscillator by means of coupling loops I9 and 2B. It desired, however, the resonators I4 and,A I5 may be coupled. together. in any. other suitable manner. In operation of the device the cathode Iismaintained at a. negative potential, for example, by connecting itA to, a-.tapping point;` on; a potentiometer 2i; connected across; as ourceoiy potentiali 22 Whilst; the cathode shield Il; may,

be maintained4 at a more. negative.;poten-tial,

shown. lIhe resonators; |41. and i5.` are, main-- tained at a positive potential; witnrespect tothe cathode Iiwhilst; the electrode iii` is maintained at the same potentialasitbat ot the resonators I4'. andv t5 or at a slightly negative potential with r,e-..

lations atl the frequency,- to which, the resonators land I5 aretuned, Iii-order tociectfr eoluencvvv modulation of; the generatedoscillations thetun-.

ingoffboththeresonators, M and I5is varied in anysuitable manner. 'Ihe means shown inFigure 2.for vary-,ing thetuning o tthe resonators comprises .variable mesdames 25` and 2.4; which. are` coupledgto the resonators f `i l and. i -,via coupling.

loops 25 and 2respectively The variablefimf pedances; 2,3and ZAfmay eachcom-prise areact.4 ancentll'flt` to which tbamodulating signals, areI fed via thecondenserf, saidv signals, serving to vary. the magnitud.esA of.: the. reactanes afforded. by said tubes solthaththeytuning ofl both reso?A nators I il'- and l 5 iis vvar-iedattlgie irriodulation;y tref. The. frequency-modulated 0G.Sillatmsy quencyi thus generated arelied yfr.o,1^.,otheresonator I Sivia a coupling loop 2l totheypywer ampliiieri The discriminator I9; Where thefrequencyof the transmitted oscillations-4 Ici-asV av value which;

permits of theuse offconventional'tunedcircuits,

may comprise a painoi such circuits feeding. a..

detector in known manner. Where, however, the frequency of` oscillations. is Very. high, such. as would be the case whenusing a frequency-modu. lated oscillator ofythe form describedfwith reference to-Figure .2; the discriminator-fcircutxshowm also in Figure` 2 is preferably employed. As shown, the discriminator comprises a pair of velocity-modulated amplifier electron discharge devices 28 and 29, the device 28 compris-ing an input resonator 3|) which serves to impart velocity-modulation to a beam of electrons emanat-l ing from a cathode 3|, the beam after being velocity-modulated by the resonator 30 becoming charge-density-modulated in the drift space between the resonator 39 and output resonator 32, the beam in passing through the resonator 32 imparting energy thereto before'being nally collectedon an electrode 33. The discharge device 29 is similar to the device 28 and comprises a cathode 34, input resonator 35, output resonator 36 and collecting electrode 31. In operation of the devices 28 and 29 each cathode 3| and 34 may be maintained at negativepotentials by connecting said cathodes to tapping points on potentiometers 38 and 39 connected respectively across sources of potentials 46 and 4|, the resonators 30 and 35 being maintained at positive potentials with respect to their respective cathodes and the resonators 32 and 36 Vat more positive potentials than the associated resonators` 30 land 35. electrodes 33 and 31 may be maintained at negative potentials with respect to the resonators 32 and 36. Modulated oscillations from the output of the oscillator 6 are fed by a suitable line, such as a concentric line 42, to the resonators 30 and 35, the line 42. terminating in coupling loops 43 and 44, as shown. The input resonators 30 and are therefore excited at the same frequency so that the electron beams in both devices are velocity-modulated at the same frequency whereby the respectively to frequencies above and below the frequency at which they are excited so that the outputs obtainable from the resonators 32 and 36 will vary in opposite sense as the frequency of excitation approaches, or recedes from, the frequency to Which'either resonator 32 or 36 is tuned.

The output from the resonator 32 is fed through a section 45 of coaxial transmission line to a rectifier, shown as a crystal detector 46, which is connected on one side through a capacity 47 and a lead 43 connected to the end closure of the transmission line 45 to the mid-point of a load -impedance 49, :and through a choke 56 to one end of the load impedance and at its other side via the central conductor 5I of the transmission line section to a loop 52 disposed within the resonator 32 for picking up energy when the resonator 32 is excited. The transmission line section 45 has a length effectively equal to a quarter of a wavelength of the frequency of excitation so that variations in the impedance in the crystal detector do not affect substantially the tuning of. the resonator 32. y

The output resonator 36 of the device 29 has an output circuit similar to that of the resonator 32 and includes a section of coaxial transmission line 53, crystal detector 54, capacity 55, choke 56 and the half of the load impedance 49 not included in the output circuit of the resonator 32. With this arrangement the output of the resonators 32 and 36 rectified by the detectors 46 and 54 respectively will be combined differentially in the load impedance thus affording a rectified output, the magnitude and sense of which will depend on the departure of the frequency of excitation of the resonators 32 and 36 from the mean of The collecting into operation at the appropriate times to observe the frequency of the synchronising signals, the output from the limiter and phase reverser 'l is fed to control electrodes 51 and 58 provided in the devices 28 and 29 respectively.

The discriminator ||l shown in Figure 2 of the drawings may be employed for purposes other than that described. For example, it may be employed for detecting frequency-modulation of received oscillations, said received oscillations being applied to the resonators 3D and 35. In this case the output appearing across the load impedance 49 will be the desired modulation output and may -be applied with or without amplification to actuate suitable reproduction apparatus or may be used for other purposes.

Although in Figure 1 frequency control is effected by observing in discriminator 9 the frequency of the synchronising signals which have minimum values, the television signals may also include other signals of datum value indicated at I2 which may occur, for example, just prior to and/or just after the occurrence of a synchronising signal. These signals |2 should also have a constant frequency in the transmitted signals and if desired the discriminator I0 may be employed to observe frequency of the signals I2, instead of the frequency of the synchronising signals 4. The signals may be employed to switch the discriminator l0 into operation, the signals l! or the signals fed from the oscillator 6 tothe dis` criminator l0 being suitably delayed so that the discriminator |`0 is switched into operation at the appropriate times. In Figure 1 the signals fed to the oscillator 6 are delayed by a conventional delay network indicated by the reference numeral 51. synchronizing signals employed have maximum values instead of minimum values as described above, the separating means which is used to afford pulses for switching the discriminator into operation would be arranged accordingly to respond only to peak positive excursions in the signals.

Figure 3 of the drawings is a block diagram of an arrangement for use in a link transmitter Where signals are received, amplified and reg transmitted. In the case of receivers for frequency-modulated oscillations, not only for use with a link transmitter as shown in Figure 3, but also for use as a domestic or other television receiver, it is necessary to effect a control to compensate for the drift in the transmitted signals or for drift in the local oscillator of the receiver. As shown in Figure 3, television signals received on an aerial 63 are fed to a mixer 64 for reducing the frequency of the received signals to an intermediate frequency by mixing the signals with local oscillations derived from oscillator 65. The intermediate frequency output of the mixer 64 is fed to an intermediate frequency amplifier 66 the output of which is fed to a demodulator 61 and to a discriminator 68. The output from the demodulator 61 may be fed to a picture reproducer 69 which in a link transmitter may be a picture monitor or in a domestic receiver a viewing cathode rat1 tube. The output from the demodulator is also fed to a limiter and It will also be appreciated that where the v phase-reverser 'lll which functions in the man-l` nerof the limiter and phase-reverser 'i' of Figure l to provide switching signals for applica-A tion to the discriminator 3. The discrirninator B8 may be of the conventional type having circuits tuned respectively above and below the frequency of the synchronisingY signals a' (Fig,- ure l) or the frequency oi the signals l2 (Figure l), the output of the discriminator 68 thus providing a controi voltage for application by lead il to the local' oscillator for adjusting a frequency oi such oscillatorA so that the frequency of the signals 1lor i2 is adjusted to the; correct intermediate frequency. The output from the intermediate frequency amplifier ii, Where the.

arrangement is employed as a link transmitter, is also fed via lead 'i2 to a furthermixer i3 Where the signals are mixed with local oscillations from an oscillator lcfor converting the intermediate frequency signals from the ampliiier 66; to a frequency suitable for re-transmission. The' local oscillator lilwill also require its frequency to be stabilised with respect to the signals 4 or I2 and accordingly the output from themiXer 'i3 is fed through a lter l5' the output of which is fed on the one-hand to a power arnpliierr 'iii' andl on the other hand to a discriminator 57; The discriminator 'il is switched into operation toobserve the frequencyo the signals or l2? Although the invention has been describedA above as applied to the transmission or reception of television signals which have interspersed signals of datum value, it will be appreciated that the invention is also applicable for the;

transmission or reception of signals other than television signals which do not have amean-frequency but which are interspersed with signals of datum value. f

I claim:

l, In apparatus for stabilizing the frequency of operation of an oscillation generator and mod--v ulating the frequency of the oscillations generated in accordance with signals including. a sig l nal component having a recurring maximum or minimum value which should produce a generated frequency which is or, a substantially constantrecurring value, but the frequency of which may drift including, a source. of. signalsv of. the: character described coupled to said generatorv for controlling the frequency of operation of the same inaccordance with said signals, apparatus controlled by said signals for producing potentials representing said component of maximumfcr minimum value, a coupling to said lasty named apparatus for. feeding the signals theretd, means excited byI potentials corresponding to.

said signals for producing a potential characteristic of changes in said maximum ory minimum value, a coupling between said nrst named ap.-y

paratus and said means for putting said means into operation When said signal component 0ccurs, a time delay network in said first coupling,

and means for stabilizingthe frequency of oper ation ofsaid oscillation generator in accordance with theI said produced characteristic poten-l tial. v

2. In a system for generating frequency modulatedcarrier currents for transmission, an'oscillation generator, ay source; ovs'gnalsl including ai signall component` of a datum value. which should!v bey constant: and produce, al. frequencyi modulated? Wave a recurringv frequencyjof" which shouldb'e.. constant, a. time delay network coupling said source to said generator,'. a frequencyA discriminator and detector coupled; to,- said:` generator' to be excited by. saidmodulatedA Wave;K aucurrentl amplitude limiter excited by; potentials.' charac.- teristic of said signals for separating'. therefrom saidy component of datum.. value,- a phasef reverser coupled to said limiter, and' means.V coupling: saldi phase reverser to said discriminator.` an'ddet'ectorl for rendering the sameloperative during', the timeperiods when said signal components. of datumi valueoccur.

3. Ina signalingtsyst'em, a.sourcexof'oscillator-y energy or carrier wave-frequency' modulate'dtin. accordance with signals includingaA recurring` component o' a datum value; which.` should. be. fixed, a local sourcefoi oscillatory energy,.means: for modulating oscillatory energy fronrthe. local. source includingA means fori the; output: of said. modulated' source?y with. oscillations'` from' said local source, means` for selecting-c fromlsa'id." mixing means a dierence frequency the@ fre-Y quency of Whiclizis modulated inlaymann-errcorresI spending to the modulations onisaidnrst source, and means for stabilizingthea frequency: cfs theA oscillatory ener-gy; beingx modulated` comprising meansv excited by said: selected: modulated oscillatoryenergy, for deriving: a control potential characteristic ci variations in. said. datumi value,- and means excited by potentialscomfespondingto;y said signals for rendering. saidrmeans .forl deriving. operative at thetime at Which'said`- component'of datum value appears;

e. In arsignaling system, a source of'oscillatoryl energy of carrier wave.y frequency. modulatedin.I accordance with signals'v including. ai, recurring; component of. ai datum valuesWliiclrr should be xed, a local'source of. oscillatory.A energy, means; for modulating` oscillatoryI energy? from'. the: local. source includingmeans formixingr the outputiof;

- l, said modulatedi'source with oscillations-fromzsaid.

localfsource, means for'selectingffromisaidrmixing means a dilerence frequencytheifitequenny: ofv which is modulatedin a manner corresponding; tothe modulations on saidilrstf:source;.meanszfon` stabilizing the -frequency ofi the :oscillatoryl energy; being modulated comprisingY means excited'. by.i saidV selected modulated oscillatory. energy;, for? deriving a control potential' characteristic. of.A` variations in-saiddatum valuegmeans excited by' potentials corresponding to said signals; for`- rendering said. means-for deriving. operative.: ati the time at which saidicomponentiof datum'value; appears, a` local oscillator, a m-ixerf excited: b'y oscillations therefromand'byfoscillationslofi saldi selected frequency, means -for stabilizing the. :freequency of said oscillator, and1meansefor-tians.- mitting the output of said mixer.

RIG LAWRENCE CASLINGlWHITE;

REFELEJENCESv CITED" The following; neferencesv are. of record inzthef iile ofY this patent:

UNITED STATES Pll'IEN";T."S

0 Number Name- Date` 2,121,103 Seeley June-r 2119381: 2,250,532 Hansell. J uly -29,.19llA 2,259,690 Hansen -etal. Oct. 21,v ,1941. 2,264,603` Armstrong Dec. 2, 1941l (Othe referencesr onsfnllowingipaigel Number Earp July 25, 1944 Number Number Name Date Trevor Feb. 13, 1945 Benware Jan. 7, 1947 Hansen Jan. 14, 1947 Stotz Aug. 5, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Apr. 6, 1936 

